DAMSEL IN DISTRESS [SCREAM 1996]

29: Zandalee

Randy's silence hung heavy in the air, the weight of it pressing down on Cassandra like a storm cloud about to burst. He looked at her with something between pity and regret, his usually sharp eyes now dull with an emotion she couldn't quite place.

Cassandra's heart pounded in her chest as she took a step closer to him, her voice barely above a whisper. "What is it, Randy? What do you know?"

Randy hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. He seemed to be wrestling with himself, unsure whether to speak or keep his thoughts to himself. But Cassandra's intense stare urged him on, demanding the truth.

"Billy never broke up with Sidney," Randy finally said, his voice flat, almost emotionless. "He's been two-timing both of you this whole time."

Cassandra felt like the ground had just crumbled beneath her feet. She stared at Randy, waiting for him to laugh, to tell her it was just a joke. But the look on his face stayed the same.

She took a shaky breath, her mind reeling. "What do you mean? That can't be right.. Billy told me he broke up with her."

Randy shook his head, his expression softening. "Sidney said so. Tatum told Stu to not let Billy come tonight so Sidney could have fun. He's been lying to both of you."

Cassandra still wasn't convinced. Randy was her top suspect of being Ghostface.. he had to be looking for a way to plant doubt in her head.

Randy sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he leaned against the dresser. "Billy's good at telling people what they want to hear. But the truth is, he's been playing both sides, and you both deserve better than that."

Cassandra wanted to be angry, to feel something other than the numbness that was spreading through her chest, but all she could do was stand there, frozen in place.

"Does Sidney know?" Cassandra asked, her voice barely audible.

Randy shook his head. "No. She has no idea about you and Billy. As far as she's concerned, you're just his friend. But I saw you two at the video store earlier.. it was obvious."

Cassandra's mind flashed back to this afternoon, the way Billy had held her close, the way he'd kissed her like she was the only person in the world. No.. no way that was all a lie. 

"Randy, why are you telling me this now?" Cassandra asked, her voice tinged with bitterness. "Why not tell Sidney? Why not ask Billy at the video store when everything was going on?"

Randy looked at her with a mix of frustration and sadness. "Because it's not that simple. I don't know what Billy's up to, but it's bad news. And I care about Sidney.. I didn't want either of you to get hurt, but I couldn't keep it from you any longer."

Cassandra swallowed hard, the lump in her throat making it difficult to speak. She wanted to scream, to cry, to demand answers from Billy, but all she could do was stand there, feeling completely and utterly lost.

"Thank you for telling me," she finally managed to say, though the words felt hollow.

Randy nodded, pushing off the dresser. He stepped closer to her, his expression softening even more. "I'm really sorry."

She gave him a blank look, but didn't say anything.

He gave her a reassuring nod before turning to leave the room, his footsteps heavy on the creaky wooden floor. As he reached the door, he paused, looking back at her with a look of concern. "Take some time. Think things through. And if you need to talk.. you know where to find me."

Cassandra nodded, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. She watched as Randy walked out, leaving her alone in Stu's bedroom. The door closed with a soft click, and the silence that followed was deafening.

She sank onto the edge of the bed, her thoughts a chaotic mess of anger, confusion, and heartbreak. Gale's words echoed in her mind, reminding her that she was the author of her own story. And she would be damned if she let anyone else write her ending.

She couldn't trust Randy's words. She couldn't trust Billy's words. At this point, she couldn't trust Tatum, Sidney, Stu, or anyone else.. maybe not even Gale.

By now, she had two options.

She could go back to the party and continue the hunt for Ghostface, or she could ditch the whole thing and crawl back to the Becker family's doorstep.

She wanted to cry. She wanted to give up. 

But, she'd talked to Ghostface now. She had to see it through til the end.